"In the spring of 1835, Barnum bought the rights to exhibit a frail enslaved African-American woman named Joice Heth. He plastered New York with posters advertising the old woman as George Washington's 161-year-old nursemaid. Though Heth had little choice in the matter, she played the part and the rouse worked. Barnum hoodwinked the press and thousands of others who paid 25¢ to see her." - 'Circus', S1E1, Netflix, 2018. By the time he reached New England, interest was dwindling, so Barnum made the radical decision to publically accuse himself of fraud through anonymous newspaper notices. These new adverts claimed Heth to an automaton composed of Indian rubber & mechanical springs... In other words, a robot. The genius of this trademark strategy was that Barnum now had cause to invite the public to the attraction in order to make up their own minds! 📆: Each Friday whilst the 🎪Circus of Horrors🎪 is here throughout June, a different historical 'Freak Show' performer will be profiled. As the first of her kind, Joice is not subject to these constraints... 📸: Poster, c.1835, via Wiki Commons. . #generallygothic #gothic #circusofhorrors #circus #thecircusisintown #circusisintown #bigtop #carnival #gothiccircus #circushistory #sideshow #circusperformers #circushistory #history #socialhistory #freaks #freakshow #joiceheth #publicitystunt #marketing #automaton #vintageposter #ptbarnum #barnumandbailey #barnumandbaileycircus #barnumsfreaks #robot #exploitation #circusdocumentary #netflix https://www.instagram.com/p/ByoyZ0jgMeB/?igshid=xo0i1airz96h
